NORTHMEN CAPTAIN Luke Worgan was one of the third period goal scorers that helped Orangeville over come a third period deficit to defeat Niagara 65 and advance to the OLA Junior B Finals. Photo/MIKE MALONEY Momentum. Niagara had it in spades going into the third period of game five against the MacMaster Pontiac Buick GMC Orangeville Northmen at the Tony Rose on Monday night.

Having rebounded from a humiliating 10-5 loss to the Northmen last Wednesday with a 5-4 win at home on Saturday, the Thunderhawks were rolling the dice, poised to play spoiler, carrying a 5-2 lead into the final period of the winner-take-all game five.

But when the chips are down, nothing beats a full house of Northmen heart with Orangeville scoring four unanswered goals in the final frame to take the series and advance to the Ontario Lacrosse Association Junior B finals for the second year in a row.

From the opening draw, the game had all the trappings of a classic in the making.

Through the bulk of the first period, each team generated a number of quality scoring chances but both goalies, Jared Hope for Niagara and Nick Rose between the pipes for Orangeville combined

with their respective defensive units to keep the scoreboard blank.

It was with just over two minutes left to play in the period that Jayson Card unleashed a cannonball that rebounded off the chest of Hope right into the waiting stick of Jessie Leitch, who dropped it over the sprawling cager to put Orangeville out front by one.

In the second, Joel Rennie broke up a Niagara passing play at the top of the Orangeville zone, sprang down floor and snapped a shot into the bottom right corner for a 2-0 lead.

Northmen penalty trouble soon gave the Thunderhawks the advantage they were looking for.

With an extra attacker on the floor as a result of a delayed penalty call, Niagara's Kyle Flaherty finally managed to get one past Rose. Two minutes later with Trevor Van Alstine doing time for slashing, they evened up the score at 2-2.

A two on one breakaway goal by Jay Thorimbert put Niagara in the lead with 6:54 remaining in the period. Ninety seconds later, tempers flared when they widened that lead by two, then with just over a minute left in the period a shot to the short side from James Rickard put the Thunderhawks up 5-2 to start the third.

James Reid would kick off the Northmen rally, snapping one through traffic just 32 seconds into the final frame.

With the ever dangerous Card drawing attention to the left, an equally lethal Luke Worgan battled his way in on the right, popping a powerplay marker at 13:44 to put Orangeville within striking distance.

Twenty five seconds later it was Reid again, shooting the ball while diving across the front of Niagara's goal to tie the score at 5-5.

Matt McNutt brought the near sell out crowd to their feet, taking a pass from Reed while crossing in from the left to put Orangeville back on top with 6:14 left to play.

Niagara turned up the heat trying to get the equalizer but Rose locked the back door, making a number of big stops in the final minutes to help preserve the lead. At the final buzzer, it was Orangeville winning 6-5 to take the best of five semi-final series 3-2.

Acknowledging the "huge lapse in our second period," Orangeville assistant coach Blaine Burman credited the leadership of a few of his veteran players, in particular Reid and Worgan, for setting the pace in the dressing room and on the floor in the third period. "We had a couple of leaders out there and a team defence shut the door," said Burman.

The team now faces one more opponent in their drive for a berth in the Founders Cup - the Oakville Buzz, who advanced to the final by sweeping Mimico 3-0 in the semi finals.

"They are a really good team and we are in for a fight," stated Burman adding. "We are ready. The boys are pumped".

Game one of this best of five series is slated for 8 p.m. on Thursday in Oakville with action returning to the Tony Rose 7 p.m. Sunday and game three back in Oakville, Tuesday.